The invention relates to a front ballast weight assembly for agricultural tractors, and more particularly to such an assembly incorporating a towing point. Such weights are necessary to counterbalance the heavy implements frequently mounted on the rear of the tractor and thus prevent the stability and the steering of the tractor from being dangerously impaired.
Known front ballast weight and towing point assemblies comprise a plurality of weights in the form of contiguous parallel plates clamped to the tractor frame in longitudinal vertical planes, transversely aligned recesses in the front sides of the weights forming a towing mouth, and a semi-cylindrical groove in each face of each weight, each groove forming together with the adjacent groove in the adjacent plate a cylindrical hole intersecting the towing mouth for the reception of a hitch pin. These known assemblies have the disadvantages that side loading from a drawbar is transmitted back to the weakest section of those weights carrying the hitch pin, which section is located where the weights are clamped to the tractor frame; that the hitch pin is a very loose fit in its hole because considerable clearance is necessary due to the grooves forming said hole being cast; and that there is no towing point available when the weights are not being used.
The object of the present invention is to avoid the aforesaid disadvantages.